Operating device for windshields



July 21, 1931. A. T. POTTER 1,315,381

OPERATING DEVICE FDR WINDSHIELDS Filed May 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N INVEHTOR M16222;

TOR H E! July 21, 1931. A. T. POTTER OPERATING DEVICE FOR WINDSHIELDS Filed May 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 s mat/ m v INVEHTOR ATTO NEY Patented July 21, 1931 ETEQ 3T res Ltltifidi ALBERT T. POTTER, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

AINSWORTH MANUFACTURENG oonronn'rron, .oE DETROIT,- Error-risen, A Conro- RATION OF MICHIGAN Application filed May 14,

The present invention relates to operating devices for'swinging Windshields of vehicles. Among the objects of the invention is an operating device which permits the effective sealing ofthe space between the upper edge of the windshield and the top member located immediately above it. I Another object is an operating device whichmay be installed with the cutting away of but a very small portion ofthe top member and thereby allowing the top member to retain substantially its full strength.

Another object is an operating device in which all of the parts are concealed with no projecting and unsightly hubs or parts.

Another object is to provide a windshield frame in which the front and top walls there of are substantially smooth and unbroken. Another object is an operating device which may be installed or removed as a unit without removal of the windshield from the vehicle.

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art with reference to the following dcscriptionand the accompanying drawings,v in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the operating'deviceand upper windshield frame with parts in elevation;

Figure 2 is asect'on on ure 1 Figure 3 is a section on line of Figare-1 Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is aside elevation with parts in section showing amodifiedi form of sealing strip. I

As indicated in the drawings, the device comprises a housing lO'provid'ed with flanges 11, forseeuringth'e housing to the top member 12, which latter is shown in the drawings as a hollow metallic member.

This housing is roughly triangular in shapewhen viewed from the side and has rotatably mounted therein a worm shaft 15 provided with a worm 16' and a squared end 17 for the reception: of a suitable crank handle. Intermediate its ends, the shaft 15 is pro Vided with spherical: enlargement 18 adapt-=- 39 line 2-2 of Fig- 1928. Serial No. 277,623:

ed to coact with spherical bearing members 20 and 21.

The bearing member 20 is fixed in one wall of the housing and the bearing member 21 is carried in a screw threaded member 22 which passes through the opposite wall of the housing and serves to adjust the bearings, being fixed in position by a lock nut 23. Both hearing members are preferably provided with cavities 24 therein, which serve for the" reception of lubricant. It is preferred to' provide the housing 10 with an opening 25 through which the shaft protrudes, somewhat larger than the shaft in order toipermiti a certain amount of lateral movement of the shaft.

The end of the shaft oppositethe squared end 17 is provided with a reduced portion and head 31 for the reception of the forked end of a spring member 32 which consists of a strip of sheet metal bent back upon itself and notched at the bend, as indicated in Figure 2 at 33. This notch fits over the reduced portion 30 of the shaft 15.

The ends of the metal strip are spread apart and also provided with notches 3% adapted to coact with the end of a screw 35 by means of which the member 32" may be forced inwardly to hold the shaft 1 5 in its proper position so that the worm 16* will continuously engage and properly mesh with a gear segment about to be described.

The gear segment 40 comprises a flat. gear portionv having ahnbi portion 41, which has at one side a rectangular lug 42' and which liub portion is boredaxially and provided with a suitable bushing 43, whichv bushing preferably extends into apertured. ears 10a; of the housing 10, providing a means for assembling the device as a unit before attaching to the windshield or top member.

The windshield frame member, as indicated', consists ofa tubular portion 45' which extends across the" vehicle and is suitably hinged at its ends to the vehicle uprights. The lower side of the tubular member 45 is provided with a frame portion" 456 having a groove 47 in which is seated the windshield This portion 16 of the windshield fr lire ffl'flTl ili-is a recess in which 1s secured.

; member 12 in any suitable as by means of screw 42a the extension 42 of the hub 41 of the gear segment, when the device is in operating position. At the point at which the operating device is to be connected to the windshield, the tubular portion 45 of the latter is cut away a short distance on its rear wall and two pilot members inserted therein. These pilot members consist of a body portion 51 fitting within the tube 45and a reduced pilot portion 52 adapted to fit in the axial bore of hub member 41.

In the installation of the device, the pilot members 50 are inserted with their pilots 52 toward each other and pushed back into the tube sufliciently far to allow the hub member 41 to be inserted in the cavity of the tubular frame between them,

The pilot members 50 are then moved toward each other so that the pilots 52 enter the axial bore of the hub member 41. The members 50 are then secured in position by means of screws 53 passing through the tube 45 and into the body portion 51 of the pilot member. It is preferred to slot the tube 45 on the rear wall thereof at this point and provide the slot with a cover plate 54 through which the screws 53 pass to enter the body 51. This permits the insertion of the screws 53 into the pilot members before the insertion of the hub 41 and provides a suitable adjustment of the pilot members with relation to the hub.

After the hub 41 has been inserted, a screw 55 is inserted through the tube 45 and into a suitable opening in the hub member and a bolt 42a passed through the lugs 42 and frame member 46. This effectively fixes the gear member 40 and windshield frame so that there can be no relative movement therebetween, and provides for satisfactory rotation (lif the windshield from operation of the shaft In order to seal the space between member 12 of the body and tube 45 of the windshield, it is preferred to secure to the tube 45 throughout its length a metal strip which has at its forward edge a bead 61 spaced somewhat from the tube 45.

. A strip of leather 62 or other suitable material is then prepared with a bead 63 at one edge, which bead is slipped longitudinally under the bead 61 of the strip 60 and which strip is then bent around under the top member 12 and secured to its rearward or inside edge, for example, at 64. This strip 62 when the windshield is rotated, (in a clockwise direction as indicated in Figure l) merely doubles itself into a loop and maintains the opening completely closed.

An. alternate method of sealing this space is a rubber strip 70, as shown in Figure 5. This rubber strip is roughly triangular in section and may be seated in a suitable sheet metal strip 71 which is secured to the top manner.

The rubber strip will, of course, rub lightly against the front of the top wall of the tubular portion 45 of the windshield frame and maintain a seal of this space.

One of the great difiiculties heretofore incurred in devices of this sort, is the sealing of the space between the top member 12 and the windshield member 45 and this has been due to the factthat substantially all of such operatorshave a large hub member embracing the windshield frame and providing at this point an enlargement difiicult to deal with in sealing the space mentioned.

The present device has no hub on the front or top wall of the tubular frame member and presents a substantially unbroken line from one side of the windshield to the other and thereby permits the use of the sealing means indicated.

Now having described the invention and the preferred forms of embodiment, it is to be understood that the said invention is to be limited not to the specific details herein described and illustrated, but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim 1. In combination, a windshield having a tubular hollow frame fixed on the top edge thereof, the latter having an aperture in the rear wall thereof, a gear sector for operating said windshield having a hub portion disposed within said frame and adjacent said aperture, the latter affording an entrance into the frame for the hub portion, and means in said frame fixing the hub against movement with respect to the windshield, the front and top walls of said frame presenting a surface which is substantially smooth and free from projections, said means including pilot members fixed in said frame by means on the rear wall thereof and having trunnions supporting the hub member.

2. In combination, a windshield having a tubular hollow frame fixed on the top edge thereof, the latter having an aperture in the rear wall thereof, a gear sector for operating said windshield having a hub portion disposed within said frame and adjacent said hub portion, and means in said frame fixing the hub against movement with respect to the windshield, the front and top walls of said frame presenting a surface which is substantially smooth and free from projections, said means including pilot members fixed in said frame by means on the rear wall thereof and having trunnions supporting the hub member, and an extension on said hub member fixed to a wall of the frame.

3. In combination, a windshield having a tubular hollow frame fixed on the top edge thereof, the latter having an aperture in the rear wall thereof, a gear sector for operating said windshield and having a hub portion disposed within said frame and adjacent said aperture, the latter affording an entrance into the frame for the hub portion, and means in said frame fixing the hub against movement with respect to the windshield, the front and top walls of said frame presenting a surface which is substantially smooth and free from projections, a housing supported adjacent the rear side of said frame and having ears projecting into the aperture of said frame and in which the hub portion rotates, and providing means by which the housing and frame can be secured to each other, and a worm in said housing cooperating with said gear sector to cause rotation of the latter and the windshield fixed thereto, said first mentioned means including pilot members fixed in said frame and having trunnions supporting the hub member.

4. In combination, a windshield having a tubular hollow frame fixed on the top edge thereof, the latter having an aperture in the rear wall thereof, a gear sector for operating said windshield and having a hub portion disposed within said frame and adjacent said aperture, the latter affording an entrance into the frame for the hub portion, and means in said frame fixing the hub against movement with respect to the windshield, the front and top walls of said frame presenting a surface which is substantially smooth and free from projections, a housing supported adjacent the rear side of said frame and having ears projecting into the aperture of said frame and in which the hub portion rotates, and providing means by which the housing and frame can be secured to each other, and a Worm in said housing cooperating with said gear sector to cause rotation of the latter and the windshield fixed thereto, said first mentioned means including pilot members fixed in said frame and having trunnions supporting the hub member, said housing ears and said hub being insertable into the frame as a unit without disassembling.

ALBERT T. POTTER. 

